It's of a gentleman soldier as a sentry he did stand He saluted a fair maiden by a waving of his hand And then he boldly kissed her and he passed it off as a joke He drilled her up in a sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloak
And the drums are going a rap a tap tap And the fifes they loudly play Fare thee well, Polly me dear I must be going away
All night they tossed and tumbled till the morning did appear The soldier rose, put on his clothes, and said,Fare well my dear For the drums are loudly beating and the fifes they sweetly play If it weren't for that, Polly me dear, with you I'd gladly stay
If anyone comes a courting you, you can treat them to a glass If anyone comes a courting you, you can say you're a country lass You don't have to tell them that you ever played this joke That you got drilled in a sentry box wrapped up in a soldier's cloak
Now come you gentleman soldier, won't you marry me? Oh no my dearest Polly, such things can never be For I've a wife already and children I have three Two wives are allowed in the army, but one's too many for me
Oh it's come me gentleman soldier, why didn't you tell me so? Me parents will be angry when this they come to know And when nine months had been and gone the poor girl she felt shamed She had a little militia boy and she didn't know his name